Rift
by unwittysidekick
Summary: What if Chloe's comments in the last Chloe/Clark/Jimmy scene in Abyss weren't the writer's way of making sure the audience was clear it actually happened? What if something else was going on there? Kind of dark.


Disclaimer: None of this is mine  
Spoilers: Abyss specifically, in general the rest of season 8 before Abyss  
A/N: This was originally posted on my blog right after the episode Abyss first aired and I decided to put it up here too after I set up an account.

Chloe Sullivan stood next to her fiance and smiled at Clark, the very joyful, unburdened smile she had perfected for Jimmy, and hoped that she hadn't overdone it with her comments. She had sought to reinforce Clark's belief that she no longer knew his secret but she didn't want to arouse his suspicions by going overboard in the attempt, either. The need to keep him believing his plan had worked was the _only_ reason she was still having anything to do with him, Chloe thought darkly as a familiar rage rose up. She tapped down on it quickly, before any trace of it could show on her face, and Clark's expression didn't change, indicating he hadn't noticed anything.

Clark had sought to erase her memories of his secret, going against her expressly stated wishes to do it, and Chloe had no desire to let him know, intentionally or not, that he had failed. She had no idea how or why those memories had been restored when she specifically recalled hearing Clark ask Jor El to restore everything _but_ the knowledge of his secret; she could only assume Jor El didn't agree with his son's decision. How she was even able to hear that request she didn't know either since she should have been heavily sedated when he made it. Before she could dwell on that inconsistency to much though, she felt that line of thought slipping away and she let it, preferring instead to hold on to the anger towards Clark that rose up once more.

Even more than she had before, she was looking forward to her marriage to Jimmy. Because once she and Jimmy were married she would have a legitimate excuse for cutting back on, and eventually cutting off, her interactions with Clark. If he didn't think he could trust her with his secret anymore, fine, but she wasn't going to waste anymore of her time on him either. And at that thought Chloe Sullivan's smile became genuine.

* * *

From where he lurked in an ever expanding corner of Chloe Sullivan's brain, Brainiac happily surveyed his handiwork. The rift between Kal El and his favorite human was growing larger; a rift that was necessary for the success of his current plan.

Kal El was so pathetically predictable where these humans were concerned, especially _this_ human. So when he couldn't be persuaded to rebuild the fortress by simply having the crystal returned to him, Brainiac began stripping away Chloe Sullivan's memories, knowing Kal El would do everything in his power to help her when he found out. And taking Chloe Sullivan's memories away not only resulted in him gaining access to the fortress in order to inhabit it, but it also allowed him to accelerate his plans with the doomsday creature as well.

And once those objectives had been met, it was of no consequence if Chloe Sullivan regained her memories. It had been him who had restored her memories of Kal El's secret. And he was also responsible for her awareness of Kal El's desire that she _not_ remember that secret. While she might have been sedated and oblivious to what was going on in the fortress, _he_ had not been. And so when he released those memories he also gave her his 'memory' of Kal El's request, heavily edited, of course, so that she wouldn't realize it was made with much regret and done only to protect her.

And with that knowledge, or lack of knowledge, Chloe Sullivan's emotional state was easily manipulated. By feeding her anger and resentment over Kal El's decision he was able to increase the distance between them. And by tapping down on the hurt and pain she felt at her belief that Kal El didn't trust her anymore he was able to keep her from talking things out with Kal El, and perhaps restoring their relationship.

And while Chloe Sullivan didn't see the pain and regret of her 'ignorance' on Kal El's face (again do to a little perception manipulation from him), Brainiac could. From where he lurked in an ever expanding corner of Chloe Sullivan's brain, Brainiac looked out at Kal El and smiled.

* * *

A/N: So I had planned for this to be a little dark but I think it turned out darker than I had planned. It's not a fix it piece for Chlark fans, obviously, but hopefully i was able to get across the possibility that once Brainiac is completely evicted from her head, there's a chance that Clark and Chloe can restore their relationship, with her knowledge of his secret intact.


End file.
